Communicating your brand on social media

Branding and social media go hand in hand, and it is hard to succeed at one without the other. Branding, for example, creates a personality around your spa business. Clients that resonate with your brand personality can become fiercely loyal, and will help shape your reputation. Social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram assist in this process, providing a space where you can educate your clients about your brand and encourage them to share that information with their friends. For this to work, you can’t use social media just to share your latest spa treatment special. You need to be strategic. Here are some tips to help you.

1 Be clear about your brand’s personality

Imagine if your spa was a person. Would it be a bookworm in comfy sweaters, snuggled up with hot chocolate by a fireplace? Is it a loud and sassy rebel or a sexy, successful corporate type? Thinking about your spa as a character or person can help you get focused about your brand identity. Next, use your social media to show your followers who you are, with images and content that match your chosen personality. You’ll attract clients who resonate with that vibe.

Take It Next Level: Create unique hashtags, inside jokes, and themes that reflect your spa’s personality. Identify influencers or bloggers in the community who might match your spa’s personality, and actively seek cross-promotions that are a fit for the image you’re building. Remember, on social #CollaborationIsTheNewCompetition.

STOP: Not all spas need to be quiet, zenned-out private spaces. Beauty bars and lounges are increasing in popularity because they are fun and social. Check out brands like @hermajestyspleasure or @the.brandy.alexander on Instagram for inspiration.

2 Manage Your Aesthetic

Your look should match your personality. Establish colours, themes, and visuals that your spa would like if it was a person, and stay consistent. Instagram in particular places a high premium on beautiful photos, and your page should showcase images that communicate your businesses personality. Simple, clean, and attractive pages get more follows.

Take It Next Level: Bring your Instagram aesthetic into your space, and vice versa. Make sure your stations, decor, signage, print etc. are consistent in themes, and colours. You want to be able to take an Instagram-worthy photo anywhere and have it fit with the body of work you are building. Create specific visuals that clients might want to snap a picture of so they can help spread the word. Good lighting in your location is key to keep photos from looking cheap and drab.

STOP: Resist the urge to put text over your images to announce a sale or service – especially on Instagram. Your posts should never look like ads!

3 Make It Part of the Job

Your whole team needs to be “on brand” and accurately represent your vision. Educate your staff and encourage participation. Create a group chat on Messenger or WhatsApp, and use it to collect content (videos, images, boomerangs, expertise) from your staff so that your social media manager has lots to post.

Take It Next Level: Your staff can only understand your brand if you talk to them about it. Make sure they understand your business’s personality. If your staff aren’t social media savvy, train them. Make sure everyone knows how to share pictures or take a Boomerang video. Create social media guidelines for your spa. They should include suggestions for good content, hashtags, and rules around sharing to personal pages. Be clear about your expectations, and create a sense of enthusiasm about promoting the business. Hiring a professional for this is a great investment.

STOP: Don’t hide your staff away. Get professional photography of your team, and showcase their expertise and skills. Give your clients people that they can recognize and love online. Your people are a big part of your brand, so hire accordingly.

4 Involve Your Clients

Your brand’s reputation can grow by leaps and bounds if your customers are in on the game. Use social media to repeat messages that you want your clients to say about you.

Take It Next Level: Make sure there are visuals that your clients will want to take pictures of. Selfie walls, art installations, or remarkable decor will encourage your clients to share their experiences online, growing your reputation. Identify two to three hashtags for your business and make sure they are on your printed material, and shared with your clients. Offer $5 off their next treatment if your client shares an image, uses a hashtag or leaves a review.

STOP: Don’t just post on social media. Engagement builds relationships the fastest. This means when your team, has downtime, they should be liking and commenting on your fans’ and followers’ content. Never leave a comment without a reply. Algorithms will reward your attention, and your fans will feel the love!

Katie Dempsey is the owner of Brand Ambition, a boutique marketing and branding agency that helps small and medium-sized businesses create updated and engaged online identities. Katie has been marketing in the spa and wellness industry for more than 6 years, and is passionate about strategically integrating social media.